Welsh artists are to have the chance to bid for grants from a £450,000 project fund that aims to help build relationships with India.
India Wales is a joint project between Wales Arts International and the British Council, which will promote artistic partnerships between creative professionals and arts organisations in the two countries.
The main fund will open for bids in late spring, but artists can bid for up to £2,500 now to research project ideas.
Nicola Morgan, acting head of Wales Arts International, said: “As part of our joint work with the British Council, we are offering the India Wales fund to support projects taking place in India and Wales in 2017 and early 2018.
“We are now offering creative professionals and arts organisations in Wales the chance to undertake a research and development visit to India or to invite an Indian partner to visit Wales, with a view to developing a possible creative project and developing existing or new artistic connections.”
Next year will see the 70th anniversary of Indian independence and the British Council will be developing a season of cultural activity to mark the anniversary.
Rebecca Gould, head of arts at British Council Wales, said: “Our recent Walking Cities project with Wales Arts International gave Welsh and Indian poets the chance to visit each other’s countries to develop new work, and was a great success. The Wales India project will give even more Welsh artists the chance to help develop relationships between the two countries, building new partnerships and creating new work.
“We are particularly interested in projects that work with the Indian and Indian subcontinent diaspora communities in Wales and develop new arts leaders from these communities. We are continuing to see cuts to the creative industries in Wales so we’re really pleased to be bringing additional funding to the sector.”
The fund is financed by Wales Arts International, Arts Council of Wales and the British Council.
Artists can find out more on the Wales Arts International website